Friends and family,

     Hello!  So today is the beginning of a new transfer and I am looking forward to all that will come out of it.  On Saturday I got a call from the APs who informed me that I would be training, I freaked out a little hahaha. If you're confused because I just started my mission like 2 days ago it is ok i am having the same feelings- but Heavenly Father knows best and I am excited to take the wonderful drive down Highway 50 to pick her up!  I really am excited to get to help a new missionary, because I was in her shoes not too long ago and know how scary it can be- so this will be a great experience I'm sure. :)

     We had succchh a great last week of the transfer! We went on exchanges and saw so many miracles, it's amazing how much you can learn from other people and I am so grateful for the leadership we have here in this mission.  We were able to find 4 new investigators, all who seemed to have a lot of potential!  It's amazing how much hope this gospel can bring, and how people truly do notice that there is something missing in their life when they don't have it.  I'm so grateful to be able to help bring it to people! 

     I am so excited for General Conference this next week, and the Womans Broadcast was wonderful!  One of the videos they showed was on a sister who was such a good example and someone I want to strive to be more like.  Some of the qualities about her mentioned was that she loved everyone freely and unconditionally, she wasn't worried about people earning her love- she just loved them no matter what!  One thing I've really been trying to focus on is being charitable and always striving to have that pure love of Christ towards every person I meet- it is hard sometimes! Haha but I have noticed that as I have let my Heavenly Father know that it's something I'm working on and made it a constant goal, it has come easier and I have felt Him helping me out always.  I know that He can do that with anyone and any quality that we may want to acquire! As we ask, He will be there to help and I am so grateful for that knowledge.

     I love all of you and am so grateful for the wonderful people I have been blessed with in my life!  Thank you for the love and support I receive, it really helps so much.  You are all amazing and I hope you have a wonderful week!

Love, 

Sister Paul xoxo

Friends and family,

     So it already has dropped to freezing here at nights... SOS hahah.  Luckily its still pretty warm during the day so I haven't really had to wear a jacket, but shout out to my family for sending me winter gear because I will be needing it soon!  I still lovvee Ely though and I am very grateful to be here.  I'm telling you though, I might as well be in a foreign country because I am so uneducated on this small town life and am learning so much everyday!  Hunting and mining are the main topics here and one of my new favorite foods is venison (no clue how to spell it), which is some yummy deer!  Also there's animals EVERYWHERE on the roads at night which freaks the freakity out of me.. I have to try super hard to not be a spaz whenever we see them because me screaming does not help my companion to be a safe driver... so yes working on that.

     I'm not sure if I mentioned it before, but when I got Sister Teichert as my companion we also got another town, Eureka, added to our area.  Its like an hour and a half away from Ely, so we only go 2-3 times a month, and it has a population of around 400.  We're pretty much starting fresh with the area because past missionaries didn't do much and didn't really leave us with anything to work with.  We went this last week and it was so good!  We met with a member for lunch and then pretty much just went around meeting and asking people for referrals.  One of them we received was a couple who apparently had been investigating and were going to get baptized but then they moved to Eureka and had no connection to the church or anything until we showed up! It was a such a miracle and I'm super excited to go back.

     One thing I've learned on my mission is that I have a LOT to learn, but what a blessing it is that we have so many resources to do so.  I just started reading the childrens Book of Mormon (lol) this last week because I realized that even though I've read the Book of Mormon a couple of times, I really don't know the stories well and those are what help back up the principles and doctines in it.  I encourage you all to take advantage of the church library- there's so much good stuff out there to learn and gain a testimony of and now's the time to do it!  I love you all.  I love this gospel and I love being a missionary.  Let me know if there's anything I can do for any of you and have a wonderful week!

Love, 

Sister Paul xoxo

Friends and family helloooo,

     So a couple weeks ago, Sister Wilkins and I started talking to this guy in his yard who said that because of certain things that have happened in his life, he did not have a belief in God.  WE talked for a while and stated our purpose and by the end of our conversation he told us that we may have planted a seed and given him motivation to seek after that belief because of how happy he could tell we were and I thought that was the coolest thing!  The gospel truly is the source of pure happiness as we strive to keep the commandments and share it with others (Mosiah 2:41, Alma 29:9-10).

     I've been reading Jesus the Christ and there was a quote on pleasure vs. happiness that I loved and wanted to share, 

"Happiness is true food, wholesome, nutritious and sweet; it builds up the body and generates energy for action, physical, mental and spiritual; pleasure is but a deceiving stimulant which, like spirituous drink, makes one think he is strong when in reality enfeebled; makes him fancy he is well when in fact stricken with deadly malady.

Happiness leaves no bad after-taste, it is followed by no depressing reaction; it calls for no repentance, brings no regret, entails no remorse; pleasure too often makes necessary repentance, contrition, and suffering; and, if indulged to the extreme, it brings degradation and destruction.  True happiness is lived over and over again in memory, always with a renewal of the original good; a moment of unholy pleasure may leave a barbed sting, which, like a thorn in the flesh, is an ever-present source of anguish."

     Isn't that sweet? ANYWAYS back to my story- I remembered this guy we had visited and so Sister Teichert and I stopped by his house on Saturday.  We had a nice conversation and he started asking us a lot of questions about the Plan of Salvation and this next Saturday we have a return appointment with him!  It was the best day ever and to top it off a lady in our ward and gave me princess crown earrings later that day.

     I can honestly say that I am happiest that I have ever been in my life and I owe it all to my Savior and to having this opportunity to share this sweet gospel with others.  I can promise you that it will help.  I love you all and I am so grateful for the support I have received.  I hope you have a wonderful week and please let me know if there's anything I can do for any of you!

Love,

Sister Paul xoxox

P.S. Heavenly Father wants me to be musical or something because Sister Teichert and I got asked to sing a duet in sacrament meeting on Sunday........... so yes that will be interesting i'll  keep you updated also im the only one in our zone who can "play" the piano so district meeting is always an adventure when it comes to music lolol

Friends and family;

     Helloo! We had a pretty crazy week with transfers and everything, but it was so good.  Sister Wilkins and I were little babies the whole day that she left (we only cried a couple times), but I am so excited for her to start in her new area and my new companion Sister Teichert is wonderful!  She will be going home after this transfer but she always tells everyone that she's been out for just over a year so that they won't mention it all the time and I really appreciate that.  We are now the only sisters in our zone, and really the only sisters within a 3 hour radius (idk the miles), but it's okay because all the elders to hard workouts with me in the morning so that rocks.  Ely is still wonderful and I have grown to love the people so much!  

     This week my sweet little Myah was baptized.  She is an 8 year old girl who has grown up with less than fortunate circumstances, and although she never sees either of her parents and neither of them are members she has been working towards getting baptized and has been so excited about it!  She is such an example to me and to everyone that came to her baptism, especially given that barely any were active or even members. She's not a member of the ward I am over so I was so excited that she asked me to give her a talk so that I could be a part of her baptism.  

      I want to challenge all of you to take every opportunity that you can to bear your testimony, it is something that I have grown to love to do since I have been on my mission, and it's amazing the power and spirit that comes from doing so.  You never know when someone might need what you have to share and it is something you won't ever regret.  I love you all oh so very much and I am so grateful for all the people I have been blessed with in my life!  Let me know if there's anything I can do for you and have a wonderful week!

Love, 

Sister Paul

Friends and family;

     I know you have all probably been patiently awaiting to find out what talent that sister wilkins and i figured out.. haha just keeeding, but we ended up making a beat using snapping and clapping and I choreographed a dance for our zone all to learn hahaha it was soooo funny.  Sister Wilkins and two of the other elders did it and it was a wonderful sight.  Also we had a watermelon eating contest except for I didn't win and also I have a gnarly watch tan.

     This week went by so fast!  Our recitation this month is the last two paragraphs of the intro in the book of mormon.  I have never doubted the book of mormon to be true, but this week I feel like I was really able to gain a solid testimony of it.  We have a part member family in our ward where the dad is not a member but he goes to church often.  He has his doubts and he has not attempted to read the book of mormon because he is very stubborn but let me tell you sister wilkins and I are even more stubborn when it comes to getting someone to come unto Christ hahah (lovingly of course).  Anyways, as we were trying to get him to read it I was able to bear my testimony to him that i had full confidence that if he were to read it with a sincere heart and real intent, that I had no doubts he would gain a testimony of it.  I felt the spirit so strongly as I said it and I have been pondering a lot lately about how wonderful the Book of Mormon truly is.  It is key to our religion and to always striving to live righteously.  I encourage all of you to read from it everyday and cherish the words and the spirit that it brings, because it is so powerful and helps bring everything from this wonderful gospel together.

     So sadly Sister Wilkins and I will not be companions anymore and she will be leaving to be an STL in Carson City.  I know though that Heavenly Father knows best and that she is going to be such a great blessing to the people in Carson, and my new companion and I will continue to help the people here in Ely to come to this great happiness.  I love you all so much and I am so grateful for all of the support! Have a wonderful week and let me know if theres anything that I can do for any of you! 

Love,

Sister Paul

P.S. Everyone here signed my transfer journal and addressed me as Sister Princess Kylie Paul so yes it is known here as well

P.S.S. My new address is 280 Ogden Ave Ely, NV 89301 and I love letters ;) ;)

P.P.S.S. If you look closely at our twin sad pic you can see our pedometers 

 

Friends and family;

     T'was a solid week.  We had 9 investigators come to church yesterday!!! It was probably one of the top 10 best feelings of life watching all of them come and get to experience the joy and spirit that comes from going to church.  Let me tell ya, there is no better happiness then that which comes from watching people keep the commitments that they make.  It's amazing to see how much you can notice a difference in the people who truly do have that desire to follow Jesus Christ and who make the changes in their lives to do so.  The church is true people, and the gospel really is the key to happiness.

     I'm super excited because we have our zone activity today and Sister Wilkins and I planned it- we're going to the Bennett's (our recent convert) and making a fire for S'mores (with peanut butter) and playing campfire games and also having a talent show! hahah.  If you're confused at what talent I have to perform it is okay because I still need to figure that out as well but I will let you know next week.  If you're wondering though, I have acquired some talents while being out here on a mission- including how to mow a lawn, how to not apply heat to my hair ever and how to make my bed every morning! Haha but really, it's been amazing to experience Heavenly Father's help in making weak things strong.  When I first came out here I was kinda scared to death to teach a lesson or talk to anyone, but Heavenly Father has helped me so much and now teaching a lesson is like nothing!  I still am trying to get over my fear of talking to everyone and bringing up the gospel, but its gets more and more comfortable everyday!  

     I'm so grateful to be out here and to be a missionary, so many people are in need of the sweet blessings of the gospel and it is an honor to be able to be a part of helping to bring that to people.  Definitely not the easiest thing I've ever done- but I am so grateful for all the love and support I get from all of you as well as from my Heavenly Father.  Let me know if there's anything I can do for any of you! Have a wonderful week!

Love,

Sister Paul

Friends and family;

    The Bennett's got baptized!! It was so so great.  They were so ready and prepared and I am so grateful that I got to be a part of their special day.  You could tell they knew that this was the best decision they have made, and they were so incredibly happy.  They've basically become like a second family to me and I'm so excited to see them continue to progress and be touched by the gospel.

    We went on exchanges this week and it was pretty sweet.  We had to drive to Elko, which is like 3 hours away and it was so weird because there was like a wendy's and walmart and actual food places..  We didn't go to any though, but Sister Wilkins and I went to this wonderful place called Burrito Farm today that just opened on Saturday, and I am feeling so grateful because it's pretty much the only mexican food place that exists here.  Okay enough about food lol Ely is still wonderful and I am loving it.  

     We are following the example of Desert Ridge seminary and having a huge BBQ tonight!  We made little flyers and have given them to basically anyone who breathes in Ely (even the dogs) and have invited the members to do so as well, so I'm way excited and we're hoping to be able to find some more investigators tonight!  

    "Get to the point where love and service are no longer a sacrifice" Someone shared this in relief society yesterday and I loved it so much- as we really strive to love and serve everyone, it no longer seems like a sacrifice but only a blessing. I hope that you all have a wonderful week and let me know if there's anything that I can do for you!! I love you alllll <3

Love, 

Sister Paul